The List: 18 Dec 1992 (Issue 191)

Films screening this iortnight are listed below with certiiicate. credits. brieireview and venue details. Full length reviews oi new releases can he iound in Screen Test. Programme details appear in the Listings section which iollows. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.

atmospheric finale. A variety ofstyles and scares around every corner. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. IAutohus (15) (Eric Rochant. France. 1991) Yvan Attal. Kristen Scott-Thomas. Marc Berman. 95 mins. A young man (Attal) hijacks a school bus in order to visit the woman he fell in love with while on holiday. On one level.

Rochant‘s follow-up toA World Without Pity is an accessible and exciting heist picture done in a

fairly Hollywood manner; on another. it manages to create genuine audience sympathy for its gun-toting protagonist. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Batman Returns ( 12) (Tim Burton. US. 1992) Michael Keaton. Michelle Pfeiffer. Danny De Vito. Christopher Walken. 127 mins. Unpredictable violence and aberrant psychology parading in the form of popular family entertainment. Central: MacRobert. I Beauty and the Beast (U) (Gary Trousedale/Kirk Wise. US. 1991) With the voices of Paige O'Hara. Robby Benson. Richard White. 84 mins. The first animated ﬁlm ever to get an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. the 30th Walt Disney feature-length cartoon is a classic by anyone‘s standards. The familiar story is supplemented by terrific songs. a host of comic characters and a breathtaking combination of traditional and computer animation techniques. General release. I Beethoven (U) (Brian Levant. US. 1992) Charles Grodin. Bonnie Hunt. Dean Jones. 87 mins. A small St Bernard pup escapes from an evil vet and attaches itself to the Newton family. Soon it grows to enormous proportions and begins to wreck domestic havoc. Endless visual gags and good timing. particularly from Grodin. enliven what might have been a run-of-the-mill mutt movie. Glasgow: MGMs Parkhead. Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. All UCIs. I Big Wednesday (PG) (John Milius. US. 1978) William Katt. Gary Busey. Jan-Michael Vincent. 120 mins. Re-relcase of Milius‘s autobiographical surﬁng movie, which follows the lives ofthree buddies riding through the 605 and early 70s on the crest of a wave. The director‘s most audience- friendly work has gathered something of a cult reputation: here‘s your chance to see it as it was originally intended. Glasgow: GET. I Biiko (U) Special one-off screening of three of the best episodes. restored from their original 35mm prints. See Phil Silvers cause chaos in The New Platoon. Sergeant Bilko Presean Bing Crosby and The Horse. Edinburgh: Cameo. I 8111 and Ted's Excellent Adventure ( 15) (Stephen Herek. US. 1990) Keanu Reeves. Alex Winter. 91 mins. Bill and Ted‘s dream of forming a band called the ‘Wyld Stallyns‘ is haunted by the spectre of flunking their history exams and being packed off to military academy. However. courtesy ofa

time-travelling telephone booth. the two dudes canter through the centuries on a breakneck refresher course where they meet up with the likes of Genghis Khan and Beethoven. And save the future of the universe. A most excellent cinematic

experience. Glasgow: GET.

I Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (PG) (Peter Hewitt.

US. 1991) Keanu Reeves. Alex Winter. George

Carlin. Joss Ackland. 93 mins. Evil robot versions

of that most excellent duo totally kill our heroes. causing them to take on the Grim Reaper at party games. make a quick visit to Heaven and eventually win the day. A triumphant sequel. slightly more coherent than the bodacious original

I Black Robe (15) (Bruce Beresford. US. 1991) Lothairc Biuteau. Aden Young. Sandrine Holt. Stirring version of Brian Moore's tale ofa 17th century Jesuit priest travelling across North America to a remote mission takes a realistic view of the savagery of the Indian tribes. Nevertheless. their philosophies and way of life are treated with the same respect as those of the Christians. Bluteau‘s anguished looks are perfect for the conscience-stricken priest who gradually comes to terms with the harsh landscapes and opposing cultures. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

I The Bodyguard (15) (Mick Jackson. US. 1992) Kevin Costner. Whitney Houston. Gary Kemp. 130 mins. Costner tries dubious tough guy mode as the personal minder of pop icon Rachel Marron (a good debut by singer Houston). when she is threatened by an obsessive fan. Lawrence Kasdan‘s script is a complete mess from beginning to end. and the film as a whole is a piece of Hollywood excrement sugared by a topping of romance and chart songs. Avoid. See review. From 26 Dec. General release.

I Cartoons Spool iiollywood (U) 85 mins. From time to time. the top American animatorstook pleasure in biting the hand of the Hollywood studio that fed them. more often than not by caricaturing the top stars of the day or parodying well-known films. Here. Bugs. Daffy. Elmer and the rest ofthe crew ﬁnd themselves amongst the likes of Lauren Bacall. Bing Crosby and Groucho Marx. A fascinating example of one popular culture‘s reaction to another. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

I Chaplin ( 12) (Richard Attenborough. UK. 1992) Robert Downey Jnr. Moira Kelly. Paul Rhys. Kevin Kline. 145 mins. Another epic biopic from Sir Dickie. this time on silent superstar Charlie Chaplin. A life this long and packed can‘t really be covered successfully in one ﬁlm. so let's just say that Downey is superb (Oscar tip). More next issue. because this time it’s only a BAFTA Scotland special with the director present. Mon 11 Jan. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

I The Citadel (PG) (King Vidor. UK. 1938) Robert Donat. Rosalind Russell. Ralph Richardson. 113 mins. A young doctor hasa difficult time in the mining villages and faces the dilemma of whether to move to a lucrative but less rewarding Mayfair practice. Solidly produced adaptation of the A .J. Cronin novel. with Donat as sympathetic as ever. Made at MGM‘s British unit which was unfortunately shut down during the war. Glasgow: GET.

I City Di Joy ( 1 5) (Roland Joffe. UK/France. 1992) Patrick Swayze. Pauline Collins. Om Puri. 135 mins. Surgeon Patrick Swayze agrees to help Pauline Collins run a school and medical dispensary in the poorest area of Calcutta. but is intimidated by the local gang chief. Roland (Killing Fields) Joffe's latest offering is another attempt to create a feelgood epic from a situation of incalculable suffering. but despite being well

band become the force to really put Irish music on the map. Alan Parker delivers a hilarious. down-to-earth. close-to-home movie. stuffed full of good music and with some relevent social comment to boot. Glasgow: GET.

Boasting the usual theoretical trash casting (Traci Lords. Patty Hearst. Iggy Pop). lapsed sleaze merchant Waters' most mainstream effort to date is an exuberant and knowing satire on Fifties juvenile delinquency movies. Edinburgh: Cameo I The Crying Game ( 15) (Neil Jordan. UK. 1992) Stephen Rea. Forest Whitaker. Jaye Davidson. 112 mins. A disillusioned IRA terrorist strikes up a friendship with the black British soldier he has kidnapped. and subsequently finds himselfin London and in love with the latter‘s girlfriend. A bold. unpredictable film that has plenty to say about notions of personal and sexual identity. If only all British movies were as good as this. Glasgow: GET. I Death Becomes tier (PG) (Robert Zemeckis. US. 1992) Meryl Streep. Goldie Hawn. Bruce Willis. 103 mins. An actress in decline and a frumpy author discover the secret of eternal life. and so are able to carry their mutual jealousy to outrageous extremes. A comedy that is surprisingly black. given the stars involved and the pressures on its $40 million budget. but which tends to get carried away with its distractingly impressive special effects. General release. I Delicatessen (15) (Jean-Pierre Jeunet/Marc Caro. France. 1991) Dominique Pinon. Marie-Laure Dougnac. Jean-Claude Dreyfus. 99 mins. In a sepia wasteland somewhere in the future. a butcher feeds his neighbours with the juicy joints of his lodgers. But when former clown Louison (Pinon) arrives and falls for his daughter. an underground vegetarian resistance group come to the rescue. Hilarious blend of bizarre characters. slapstick and comic tension makes for the ﬁrst true cult item of the ‘905. Glasgow: GFT. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Diva (15) (Jean-Jacques Beineix. France. 1981) Frederic Andrei. Roland Bertin. Richard Bohringer. 117 mins. The twisted fate oftwo tapes. one an illegal recording of an American opera star. the other exposing a crime ring. is the central strand of this daffy Gallic cult favourite. Style exudes from every sprocket hole. Glasgow: GET. I Easy Rider ( 18) (Dennis Hopper. US. 1969) Peter Fonda. Dennis Hopper. Jack Nicholson. 94 mins. Artless. archetypal road movie in which two dope-loving bikers travel the highways and by-ways of America. Dated cult attraction with Nicholson stealing the show as a boozy lawyer persuaded to join up for the trip. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Eating Raoul (18) (Paul Bartel. US. 1982) Paul Bartel. Mary Woronov. Robert Beltran. Susan Saiger. Ed Begley Jnr. 83 mins. Excellent. deadpan black comedy. incorporating a wide range of themes to do with materialism. sex and bourgeois fastidiousness. as ordinary Paul and Mary Bland (Bartel and Womonov) are distracted from their plans to escape I..A.‘s madness by a scheme which combines catering with homicide. Edinburgh: Cameo. I The Exorcist ( 18) (William Friedkin. US. 1973) Linda Blair. Ellen Burstyn. Max Von Sydow. 110 mins. Earnest priest Von Sydow steps in to save poor little possessed girl in this hugely effective scarefest. Dead good. dead scarey. dead priest. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Exorcist 2: The iterations) (John Boorman. US. 1977) Richard Burton. Louise Fletcher. Linda Blair. 110 mins. The horror film that once turned heads receives an unworthy sequel in this silly mumbo-jumbo about priest Burton trying to understand the demons still lurking within the hapless Ms Blair. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Femoutly: The Last Ralntorest (U) (Bill Kroyer. US. 1992) With the voices ofTim Curry. Samantha Mathis. Jonathan Ward. Robin Williams. Christian Slater. 76 mins. In a secret forest world touched by magic. a young fairy shrinks a human Iumberjack. who then has to help save the rainforest from destruction. Eco-edged animation has a lot to recommend it other than its weil-meaningintentions: lush colour. sweeping computer-aided cameras. and a decent set of songs. One for the grown-ups as well as the kids.

Glasgow: GET.

IAFew Good Men (15) (Rob Reiner. US. 1992) Tom Cruise. Jack Nicholson. Demi Moore. Keifer Sutherland. 138 mins. Navy lawyers Cruise and Moore are called upon to defend two suspected murders. but as the case develops. it becomes clear that their superior ofﬁcers (Nicholson and Sutherland) may have had a role in the affair. A fine return to real acting for Nicholson and yet another engrossing piece of work from Reiner. See preview and review. From 2 Jan. General release.

I Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cate (12) (Jon Avnet. US. 1991) Kathy Bates.Jessica Tandy. Mary Stuart Masterson. Mary-Louise Parker. 130 mins. After the local Ku Klux Klan threatens the busy cafe in Whistle Stop. Alabama for serving coloured customers. the female owner and her black handyman find themselves on trial for an unsolved murder. A chronicle ofcourage and ingenuity that avoids becoming as overwhelmingly heart-warming as one might have feared. Not the most tantalising item on the menu. but a ﬂavoursome little dish nonetheless. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

I The Glenn Miller Story (U) (Anthony Mann. US. 1954) James Stewart. June Allyson. Harry Morgan. George Tobias. 116 mins. Stewart is the unfailingly chummy band leader with the relentlessly practical wife. who makes it to the top and then takes one plane ride too many. A must-see for fans of the big band sound of the late Mr Miller. Strathciyde: UCI Ciydcbank.

I Hairspray (PG) (John Waters. US. 1987) Ricki Lake. Divine. Debbie Harry. Sonny Bono. 92 mins. Baltimore. 1962. Uproar breaks out on the Dance Council of top TV pop extravaganza The Corny Collins Show when hefty teen queen Ms Lake deposes the former star of the show. and begins to make friends with (gulp) black people . thus breaking down the programme's strict racial segregation. Unflagging entertainment as former trash king Waters does his own bizarre version of mainstream comedy. Edinburgh: Cameo.

I iiome Alone 2: Lost in New Yortt (U) (Chris Columbus. US. 1992) Macaulay Culkin. Joe Pesci. Daniel Stern. The McCallister family head off on holiday and leave little Kevin behind. Sounds familiar? More remake than sequel tothe 1990 box office sensation. this time the brat ends up battling with his favourite burglars in New York City. Crass slapstick. uninspired writing. If you loved/hated the first one. you'll love/hate this one. General release. l I Housesltter(PG) (Frank 02. US. 1992) Steve Martin. Goldie Hawn. Dana Delany. Spurned by his childhood sweetheart. architect Newton Davis (Martin) finds his life turned upside down when one-night-stand Gwen (Hawn) moves into his house and passes herself off to parents and neighbours as his new wife. The lies they tell to protect and exploit each other snowball with a Sparky unpredictability. making this a more welcome comedy than any of both stars“ more recent attempts. Central: Caledonian.

I iiowards End (PG) (James Ivory. UK. 1992) Anthony Hopkins. Vanessa Redgrave. Helena Bonham Carter. Emma Thompson. 142 mins. After a succession of dreary Forster clones. the ! British film industry gets round to tackling his masterpiece. The story is a complex family chronicle told with clarity and compassion. At last I a cinematic period drama that exudes excellence.

I Husbands and Wives ( 15) (Woody Allen. US. 1992) Woody Allen. Mia Farrow. Sidney Pollack. Judy Davis. 107 mins. The Roths (Allen and Farrow) find their domestic life rocked by the news that their best friends are splitting up. Doubts about their marriage are heightened by Mr R‘s half-innocent dalliance with a young student (Cape Fear's Juliette Lewis). More than a life-initating-art movie. given the recent allegations about the Alien household: it is a searching and incisive character comedy. his best since Hannah and her Sisters. Central: Cannon.

I into The West (PG) (Mike Neweii. Eire/UK. 1992) Gabriel Byrne. Ellen Barkin. Ciaran Fitzgerald. Ruaidhri Conroy. 102 mins. Following the death of his wife. a former traveller (Bymc) l sets up home with his two sons in a Dublin slum. But when a mystical white horse appears and the